Daily Apple: Pushy Leopard, Beta Shut Down, & Broken Hearts [TheAppleBlog]
GigaOM Network — ... A Tale of Broken Networks and Broken Hearts - Over at GigaOm today, network head Om Malik has a post up about the end of his love affair with Apple’s iPhone. It wasn’t you, iPhone, it was AT&T’s network. Somehow, that doesn’t make it hurt any less. ...

iPod Touch Helps Mobile Internet Use Grow [GigaOM]
GigaOM Network — ... On the day I give up on my iPhone and trade it in for the iPod Touch, ...

Om Malik Dumps His iPhone For T-Mobile BlackBerry Curve 8900
RIMarkable — ... Om Plans to use his BlackBerry Curve 8900 primarily for SMS and Text.  He also got a Verizon mobile phone just for voice.   Om’s crew over at GigaOm have often referred to the iPhone as the superphone.  A weak network, however, reduces the superphone to an expensive iPod touch. Welcome back to the BlackBerry Om.   Maybe you should write a post about how Verizon should come out with a new BlackBerry with a full QWERTY keyboard sooner rather than later. [Via GigaOm]

Om Malik ditches iPhone due to AT&T [jkOnTheRun]
GigaOM Network — ... Recently our boss, Om Malik, ditched his iPhone due to his long-term dissatisfaction with the AT&T service in San Francisco. I know from conversations with Om that he loves his iPhone which shows just how bad the AT&T service actually is on a continual basis. ...

Just how bad is AT&T?
The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) — ... The well-known tech blogger Om Malik has broken up with his iPhone. It seems that despite loving the iPhone itself, AT&T's shoddy service in San Francisco just wasn't cutting it. A couple of dropped calls during a phone interview was apparently the straw that broke the camel's back and Om traded his iPhone for a iPod touch plus a couple of phones from other carriers. ...

No Stopping the Mobile Internet Growth [GigaOM]
GigaOM Network — ... Judging by the reaction to my break-up with iPhone, there is a lot of people who are ready to divorce AT&T’s service and switch to an alternate carrier. In a down economy when carriers are struggling to find growth, that’s a risk they can’t afford. ...

Facebook Was Made for the iPhone [GigaOM]
GigaOM Network — ... It’s been about five days since I ditched my iPhone and made the BlackBerry Curve 8900 my primary device. There are many things I miss about the iPhone, such as surfing the Internet with a full-blown browser. More importantly, I miss Facebook Mobile. And I am missing it even more on the road, since I’m trying to limit my computer usage while on this trip. ...

Can Nintendo DSi Become the iPhone of Game Handhelds? [GigaOM]
GigaOM Network — ... , with the DSi’s MRSP lowered to $149. That would definitely make the DSi a competitive alternative to potential iPhone customers who are more interested in getting the phone for its game apps than they are for the AT&T plan that comes saddled with it. ...

Apple to Verizon: Can you hear me now? Maybe.
VentureBeat — ... Of course, Jobs could want a Verizon deal, he obviously did at one point. And that would make a lot of potential customers in the United States very happy. A few weeks ago, blogger Om Malik wrote that he was giving up his iPhone simply because he couldn’t stand AT&T’s network any longer. ...

LG Phone Recalled Due to Poor 911 Connection [GigaOM]
GigaOM Network — ... Phone recalls are not common, but connection problems are more than a blue-moon nuisance, as Om recently noted when he quit his iPhone due to At&T’s service. This recall is a reminder that we need better communications standards and oversight on safety features from both phone manufacturers and telecoms. ...

Why We Need Fat Mobile Pipes [GigaOM]
GigaOM Network — ... Regardless of actual speeds, people are using data whenever they can. Petter Blomberg, director of wireless access solutions at Ericsson displayed the slide below showing how much data traffic has increased just in the last two years. As the iPhone has shown us (and as AT&T is hopefully learning), speed isn’t an option — it’s a necessity. ...

An iPhone Isn’t An Unalienable Right [GigaOM]
GigaOM Network — ... . Anyone who wants to buy an iPhone without committing to the AT&T network will likely sympathize with the cause. ...

Why T-Mobile’s BlackBerry Curve 8900 is Worth Buying [GigaOM]
GigaOM Network — ... It’s been almost a month since I broke up with my iPhone and switched to the new T-Mobile ...

In the Race to LTE, Kineto Talks up Voice [GigaOM]
GigaOM Network — ... — and most cell phone users still want high quality voice calling no matter how great their love of data or a specific device. As for costs, ...

Why Won’t AT&T Admit to Its Wireless Network Problems? [GigaOM]
GigaOM Network — ... . For me personally it got so bad, that I switched away from the iPhone (which I love, by the way) to T-Mobile’s 8900 BlackBerry and a plain old phone from Verizon. ...

When It Comes to 3G, Better Not Big Matters [GigaOM]
GigaOM Network — ... I think this focus on covering more metropolitan areas and hence building a bigger network is wrong, especially if the can deliver the quality and speed they advertise. Given my own personal trials and tribulations with AT&T ...

Video: AT&T employees pat themselves on the back relentlessly for “fixing” SXSW
VentureBeat — ... to more carriers. GigaOM’s Om Malik recently dumped his iPhone simply because of AT&T’s network. And while I haven’t had too much of an issue here in San Francisco, the Austin fiasco was a taste of a terror that I never want to experience again. ...

Poll: Friends Don’t Let Friends Buy AT&T’s iPhone [GigaOM]
GigaOM Network — ... Ever since I broke up with my iPhone, not a day passes without me hearing from someone who shares the same sentiments about AT&T’s network. AT&T, of course, has done little more ...

iPhone on AT&T: Satisfaction or Disappointment?
jkOnTheRun — ... Since Om divorced his iPhone and AT&T’s service in general, he’s wondering if there are others in the same support group. I personally think that ...

GigaOM iPhone-on-AT&T Customer Satisfaction Survey [WebWorkerDaily]
GigaOM Network — ... You might have been following Om Malik’s trials and tribulations with AT&T over on GigaOM, which culminated in a very public breakup with his iPhone last month. AT&T is ...

Unlocked Apple iPhone Available From Buy.com in the U.S. [TheAppleBlog]
GigaOM Network — ... Apparently you can easily swap out SIM cards using these models, so if you’re a globetrotter, this might just answer your prayers. And maybe Om Malik, over at our sister site GigaOM, can finally come back to the iPhone fold using a more dependable network than AT&T’s T-Mobile, or any of the 30 different smaller GSM carriers in the U.S. will work with these phones out of the box, according to Buy.com’s product information site. Plus, unlike with unofficially unlocked phones, you can connect to iTunes and update without worrying ...

Shocker: AT&T Wants To Keep Sitting On Its Golden Egg (The iPhone)
TechCrunch — ... And the iPhone isn’t just important to AT&T for new users — I know plenty of iPhone owners who are not exactly fans of AT&T’s sometimes spotty service (see: Om Malik and anyone who was ...

Please, Apple–More iPhone Carriers!
Technologizer — ... I’m not engaging in AT&T-bashing here (you can find plenty of that elsewhere on the Web). I just like competition. I think that happy Verizon and Sprint customers shouldn’t have to dump their carrier to get iPhones. I’m hopeful that multiple carriers would mean lower prices for both the handset and the services associated with it. I believe that AT&T would have the greatest possible incentive to fix some of its network problems faster if its goal was to be the best iPhone carrier rather than the only iPhone carrier. ...

AT&T to Boost 3G Speeds, Network Capacity [GigaOM]
GigaOM Network — ... AT&T claims that it’s also using its 850 Mhz spectrum for 3G services, which gives consumers more bandwidth and better connections. AT&T says it is also upgrading its backhaul network to meet the data demand. With these upgrades, AT&T is finally admitting to what I’ve been saying all along: Their network sucks. ...

Why We Don’t Believe Rumors of an Apple/Verizon Love Child [GigaOM]
GigaOM Network — ... with Apple. Nor is it likely to push iTunes for downloads rather than its own music store. Plus, while AT&T is gaining millions of new subscribers who want the iPhone, Verizon is still picking up new additions as well, so isn’t exactly hurting. And it has a better network than AT&T, which may mean that Apple is more willing to cave on some of Verizon’s non-negotiable points. Apple can’t be thrilled about the poor user experience some ...

Meet the Future of Cellular Data: WiFi!
Internet Evolution: — ... WiFi use , from 3.4 million connections in the first quarter of 2008 to 10.5 million in the first quarter of 2009. That should surprise no one: As we've all read, AT Mobility LLC has had a devil of a time coping with increased demand for data services, which has been sparked in great part by iPhone users. AT 's been lambasted by the digerati for poor network performance, which reached new heights during the recent South by Southwest conference and caused some iPhone lovers to abandon iPhones linked to AT services . Cellular operators are ...

Build Your Own Verizon iPhone This Sunday [GigaOM]
GigaOM Network — ... Are you one of those poor souls who kind of want an iPhone, but just can’t bear the thought of the AT&T network? If so, I’m thinking that if you combine an iPod Touch with the upcoming Verizon MiFi modem, add a VoIP client and a microphone, then you can make a bastardized iPhone that runs on the Verizon network. It’s not an ideal solution by any means, since you have to carry two devices, you can’t surf the web while waiting for your calls and the ...

BlackBerry Curve 8900 Lands Early at AT&T
jkOnTheRun — ... . The 8900 is a personal fave of Om’s, as he dropped his iPhone — and AT&T for that matter — in favor of this handset on T-Mobile’s network. He gave it ...

AT&T Moves Up Its LTE Rollout, Admits To Network Issues [GigaOM]
GigaOM Network — ... press release: In addition to the planned speed upgrade, AT&T is enhancing its mobile broadband coverage by nearly doubling the wireless spectrum dedicated to 3G in most metropolitan areas to deliver stronger in-building reception and more overall network capacity. Also, AT&T is adding thousands of new cell site backhaul connections to support the higher mobile broadband speeds enabled by HSPA 7.2 and LTE. The company has so far been in complete denial about its network coverage. The ...

AT&T’s HSPA Upgrade Might Cement Future iPhone Exclusivity
jkOnTheRun — ... Apple wants their device to shine. For that to happen, three things have to come together like a mobile symphony: hardware, software and the network. Apple covers the first two and depends on AT&T for the third. They’ve been severely let down in some areas of the country, causing some to divorce their once true love. ...

So What’s Up with AT&T’s Network?
jkOnTheRun — ... I remember when Om divorced his iPhone over the AT&T network issues he was having. I kept telling him that here in the sticks where I live, it’s been a rock-solid experience. When visiting our offices in San Francisco, I feel the pain: poor signal strength with various fluctuation, crawling data speeds and my very first dropped calls. Luckily, the office visits are just a few days long and when I return home to wide-open spaces, all is right with my iPhone. (I like going to the office, I just don’t like the phone issue.) ...

One Man’s Answer to the iPhone 3G S Surcharge [GigaOM]
GigaOM Network — ... Given my views on AT&T’s network and my recent break-up with my iPhone, I have watched the release of the new iPhone 3G S with mild amusement. ...

Bay Area iPhone Users To Get Some Relief [jkOnTheRun]
GigaOM Network — ... and can’t imagine how bad it would be to live there and have such poor service. It would be enough to make me divorce my iPhone. You intrepid iPhonies (other customers too) in the Bay Area can take heart, AT&T is going to beef up the network just for you. ...

MLB iPhone App to Live-Stream Games Over 3G; Still No Sling [GigaOM]
GigaOM Network — ... The concerns over congestion are valid — AT&T’s network needs all the help it can get — but does anyone really think that the MLB app, one of the most popular on the App Store, offering live streaming of baseball games isn’t going to have an effect on the network? AT&T is concerned about users running their Sling apps 24/7 and placing a huge (for one user, at least) drain on the 3G network. This is understandable. However, it seems that AT&T is not concerned with the congestion issues of MLB’s app — ...

AT&T Is A Big, Steaming Heap Of Failure
TechCrunch — ... When Om Malik of GigaOM said he was breaking up with his iPhone 5 months ago because of the failures of AT&T, I must admit, I thought he was overreacting. I was wrong. ...

The tipping point: iPhone users turn against AT&T
Betanews — ... In February of this year, prominent blogger Om Malik announced he was "breaking up" with his iPhone. "I love my iPhone -- but AT&T;'s network has failed me. Apparently I'm not alone. If you follow me on Twitter, then you know how often I complain about it; my complaints always result in me receiving similar messages of frustration from other iPhone users. A status update on my Facebook page on the topic unleashed a flood of messages from people expressing abhorrence of AT&T;'s service." ...

Apple Hedging Cellular Bets with a Tablet Through Verizon?
jkOnTheRun — ... . If I were a decision-maker at Apple, I’d be keenly aware of how AT&T’s capacity woes reflect on my product. Luckily, I don’t need to be telling Apple what they already know. Why else might they be looking at another carrier for a web-capable product? ...

Great phone, lousy service: Much ado about AT&T
TechBlog — ... . As great as the iPhone is as a mobile computing device, it is still first and foremost a phone. But with AT&T's shortcomings, it has basically turned the iPhone into an iPod touch. So why not just buy one of those? After all, you can get much of the actual working functionality without having to pay a high monthly bill. Earlier in the year, Om Malik of GigaOM announced he was canceling his AT&T contract, even though it meant giving up his iPhone . He wound up buying multiple phones on different services as replacements: Is this an ideal solution? Probably not -- but living ...

iPhone, Shift to the Wireless Web Boosts AT&T [GigaOM]
GigaOM Network — ... As you all remember, earlier this year I broke-up with the iPhone because of the network problems and since then a growing chorus has lamented AT&T’s network problems. Ma Bell cannot turn a deaf ear on these issues, for they are likely losing a lot of revenues because of the network. ...

Fed Up, A Popular Mac Developer Quits The iPhone
TechCrunch — ... Perhaps you heard about Om Malik of GigaOM doing the same thing over frustrations with AT&T several months ago. And as someone who covers the iPhone ecosystem quite a bit, I’ve had a number of discussions with iPhone users who have either ditched their device over similar concerns, or are considering it. ...

Seriously, What is Going on with the App Store? Blocks, Delays, and Awful Apps Slipping Through
ReadWriteWeb — ... platform, and having to balance their goals with those of their carriers like AT&T. However, the problems, the delays, and, most importantly, their refusal to discuss the issues, is starting to give the company a bad reputation. For now, the souring feelings for Apple are probably just occurring in the developer community and among and tech pundits who watch the company closely. Still, it's already been bad enough for some developers to bow out and for some high-profile tech bloggers to announce they're ditching the iPhone for good. If Apple can't address ...

iPhone switchers: Blodget in, Arrington out
Brainstorm Tech: Technology blogs, news and analysis from Fortune Magazine » Apple 2.0 — ... Ashton or Branjelina. No, these are tech celebrities, the kind of people who tend to dominate Techmeme’s list of the most-influential pundits and bloggers. Om Malik, the New Delhi-born founder and executive editor of GigaOm (No. 17 on the Techmeme Leaderboard), kicked things off back in February when he announced that he was quitting his beloved iPhone for a T-Mobile Blackberry Curve 8900. It wasn’t Apple’s (AAPL) fault, he wrote in My Big iPhone Break-Up. “I love my iPhone. But AT&T’s (T) network has ...

Ditching the iPhone? I’ll Bet WinMo Has What You Want
MacBlogz - One Stop Apple News — As of late, we have three prominent names publicly ditching the iPhone. Om Malik, from GigaOm, Michael Arrington from TechCrunch, and one person who’s inspired me for ages, macintosh developer Steven Frank from Panic, inc. here in Portland, Oregon. While I have no qualms with their decisions to ditch the iPhone, I’m having a tough time understanding what the hell they’re talking about. The iPhone is a big deal… Period. It radically changed the entire mobile industry. Since its launch in 2007, Apple has ...

Seven (More) Reasons to Ditch Your iPhone
Fast Company - Technology — ... (and this guy) start talking about jumping ship, Apple should listen up: customer malice is just about the only thing they can't afford right now. ...

Do Palm’s Ads Make You Want a Pre? [GigaOM]
GigaOM Network — ... , “The Pre is probably being talked about more than other phones right now because of the marketing and advertising, and that’s a good thing.” But does it help sell more phones? I think at this point, the network a phone is on does more selling than the handset itself. Regardless, the Palm ads, featuring actress Tamara Hope vaguely comparing ...

Despite iPhone’s Success, BlackBerry Curve Was on Top in Q2 [GigaOM]
GigaOM Network — ... ) has stood the test of time and beat out higher-end competitors such as Apple’s iPhone, Palm’s Pre and T-Mobile’s G1. Although the iPhone being limited to the less-than-stellar AT&T network ...

Another Tech Guy Says Goodbye to AT&T
jkOnTheRun — ... Matt is certainly not the first tech-savvy guy to ditch AT&T due to dropped calls — our own Om Malik did too. Like Om, Matt found that the uncertainty of AT&T’s network quality was simply too much to bear. He found that he’d have full signal strength on his phones, yet would frequently have calls dropped. This is understandably too much for customers to tolerate, so Matt is back with T-Mobile. ...

Apple’s Phil Schiller Responds to App Store Furore and Ninja Words Debacle [TheAppleBlog]
GigaOM Network — ... With talk of developers and pundits alike abandoning the iPhone, the coming weeks will prove important for Apple in resolving the app review process and bringing the App Store back on track. ...

What’s in Your Pocket, Simon Mackie? [jkOnTheRun]
GigaOM Network — ... usefulness in the real world, believing it to be more of an expensive toy, but my opinion changed as soon as I started using one. The device is so well-designed that it’s a real pleasure to use — I haven’t said that of any gadget in a long time. Being based in the U.K. means that my carrier is O2, so I have pretty good network coverage — I’m not sure that my opinion of the phone would be the same if I were based in the U.S. and tied to AT&T. Most important to me, though, is the great ecosystem of apps that make ...

Has Your AT&T 3G Network Improved? [GigaOM]
GigaOM Network — ... By now you all are very aware of my decision to break-up with my iPhone because of connectivity problems with the AT&T network. Since then others have complained and switched away from the iPhone. Expectedly my break-up didn’t go down too well in some quarters. I think they could have foreseen the problems because of the device which was deemed as a “game changer” by one of their senior executives. Today, a spokesperson for the AT&T reached out and gave me an update, pointing out that ...

AT&T Improves 3G Reception
TechWeb — ... operator has faced complaints from a small, but vocal minority about the iPhone's 3G reception, particularly around large metropolitan areas like San Francisco and New York. The service has reportedly been so bad that prominent members of the tech press have publicly " broken up " with Apple's touch-screen smartphone. The company ...

AT&T Knows More About Hacking Than World's Most Famous Hacker
Gawker: valleywag — To the government, Kevin Mitnick was "the most wanted computer criminal in United States history." To the data-shuffling dimwits at AT&T;, he's just a confused and annoying customer, who is totally making things up about his phone being hacked. Since royally screwing up the 3G network used by iPhone owners wasn't embarrassing enough, the wireless carrier had to have a public falling out with Mitnick over the security of his AT&T; account. The company will only let Mitnick use an eight-digit, all-numeric password ...

AT&T Knows More About Hacking Than World's Most Famous Hacker
Valleywag — To the government, Kevin Mitnick was "the most wanted computer criminal in United States history." To the data-shuffling dimwits at AT&T;, he's just a confused and annoying customer, who is totally making things up about his phone being hacked. Since royally screwing up the 3G network used by iPhone owners wasn't embarrassing enough, the wireless carrier had to have a public falling out with Mitnick over the security of his AT&T; account. The company will only let Mitnick use an eight-digit, all-numeric password ...

Mobile Driving New Cable Construction in Developing Countries [GigaOM]
GigaOM Network — ... . However, we don’t really have to worry about getting fast data access on a continental scale. Something to reflect on next time you have a dropped call or two. ...

How the iPhone Is Driving a Wireless Bandwidth Boom [GigaOM]
GigaOM Network — ... If you’re an iPhone user, then you are all too familiar with the trials and tribulations that come with AT&T’s 3G service. It can be slow, it can be temperamental and it can be missing in action. Ma Bell, of course, has been trying ...

Is the AT&T/Apple Marriage a Happy One?
BIA/Kelsey Blog — ... The biggest downside has been how the iPhone has caused a drag on its network speeds and has brought to light its network deficiencies. The question is; is 4 million new users worth the ever-worsening PR lashing AT&T is taking? TechCrunch and GigaOm coverage alone has made this question worth pondering. ...

AT&T to Boost 3G Speeds, LTE Trials in 2010 [GigaOM]
GigaOM Network — ... of the iPhone experience. Earlier this year, I opted to give up my iPhone — despite loving the device — solely because of the network. Since then many of my friends have followed suit. And last week, the growing consumer frustration was captured by a damning piece in The New York Times. ...

AT&T Already Activating iPhone MMS for Some [TheAppleBlog]
GigaOM Network — ... Judging by this staggered introduction, AT&T’s primary concern with the MMS rollout is to minimize the impact to its network, which is already suffering under the strain of so many iPhone users, and which has already caused some to jump ship in search of better quality and consistency. ...

Verizon Talks the Openness Talk, Doesn’t Walk the Openness Walk [GigaOM]
GigaOM Network — ... Verizon is right to crow about its network, particularly when AT&T has had such difficulty delivering data to iPhone users. But when it comes to opening its network, I’d like to hear a little less talk and see more action from the nation’s largest mobile carrier. ...

Will AT&T’s Network Hold Up Under the MMS Strain? [GigaOM]
GigaOM Network — ... ? That’s the crucial question behind today’s launch of picture messaging capability on the AT&T network, which has been dogged by criticism since the first iPhone launch. Despite the ...

Surprise! iPhone Users Love Their Phones, Hate Their Network [GigaOM]
GigaOM Network — ... The thing I found particularly interesting about the study, though, is that — unlike Om — most consumers won’t give up their iPhones despite AT&T’s network woes. AT&T scored lowest in customer-satisfaction ratings, and 50 percent of iPhone users said they’d like to switch service providers. But few iPhone owners seem willing to sacrifice the device to make that move. Given the stellar reputation of Verizon’s network, the nation’s largest operator has a huge opportunity to build on its lead if it can ...

Surge in High-Tech Devices and Services a Double-Edged Sword for Carriers [GigaOM]
GigaOM Network — ... CTIA also said there are more than 40 million smartphones and connected PDAs in the hands of American users and more than 10 million laptops, netbooks and aircards. But it’s that uptake of high-end devices and the services they support that should be receiving the lion’s share of the industry’s attention. For as AT&T has learned the hard way, a surge in usage can highlight network shortcomings and infuriate users. Text messages are a great way to boost mobile data revenues without taxing networks, but the new wave of mobile ...

Why the End of AT&T’s iPhone Exclusivity Would Be Good for Apple [GigaOM]
GigaOM Network — ... AT&T’s exclusive deal with Apple as the U.S. carrier for the iPhone expires next year, and there are signs that the arrangement between the two companies will then end. Such a move would bode very well indeed for the entire Apple ecosystem, from iPhone users to ...

Want to Boost LTE Signals? AlcaLu Says More Power to You [GigaOM]
GigaOM Network — ... that will be able to deliver faster and more consistent mobile broadband speeds on next-generation Long Term Evolution networks. It’s just one of a few technologies that will help squeeze all the speed and performance out of mobile networks, so your smartphones will get faster data in more places and have better battery life. This way, even as mobile devices consume more data, eating up bandwidth, people will be less likely to experience the spotty service affecting iPhone users in the U.S. ...

I Need a New(TeeVee) Phone. To Droid or Not to Droid?
NewTeeVee — ... I’ve heard mixed things about the iPhone. Om chucked his, but other friends of mine still love theirs and don’t even mind the cruddy AT&T network. With the Droid not available until Nov. 6, I realize that you probably haven’t used one yet, but speaking in broad terms, what do you think? Should I avoid the Droid or does the Droid pwn the iPhone? ...

I Need a New(TeeVee) Phone. To Droid or Not to Droid? [NewTeeVee]
GigaOM Network — ... I’ve heard mixed things about the iPhone. Om chucked his, but other friends of mine still love theirs and don’t even mind the cruddy AT&T network. With the Droid not available until Nov. 6, I realize that you probably haven’t used one yet, but speaking in broad terms, what do you think? Should I avoid the Droid or does the Droid pwn the iPhone? ...

Verizon Harnesses iPhone Backlash for Viral Ads
NewTeeVee — ... , a new form of Apple atheism is popping up. (It’s worth noting that our fearless leader Om Malik was ahead of the curve on this one.) The iPhone will always have its devotees, but the days of the ...

Like AT&T, O2 Pays the Price for Heavy iPhone Usage [GigaOM]
GigaOM Network — ... AT&T isn’t the only operator whose network shortcomings have been exposed by data-hungry iPhone users. O2 — which ...